Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-08-13

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catches on. He is careful next time
to close his doors to all who helped
to unhorse him, and his brother
business men, in self-defence, unite
with him to protect themselves
against invaders. 1t is not upon
record that this forced interference
with business that has grown I'M
der the creative genius of it's inven-
tor and manager has ever been
benefited by the dictatorial demands
of laborers.
The moment an employee begins
to dictate ard domineer, that mo-
ment his fidelity and carefulness are
gone, so far as concerns his employer.
We were educated as practical
printer, from the broom to the pow.
er press. We never yet dictated to
our employer, and were never out of
work at top wages. We never lost a
moment in or by drink or tobacco.
Never felt any disposition to stop
the wheels of our employers bust
ness simply because he did not feel
or express sympathy for persons a
thousand miles away. and who cared
nothing for him. Our allegiance
was ever to our employer and has
! interests. We never yet attempted
to serve two masters. Therefore we
never were treated as other than
useful employee, and one in whom
our employers ever conGded
To-day we should be in the print
ing business and employing hundreds
of writers, type settlers, printers, book
binders, etc, but for our unwilling
ness to risk borrowed capital or our
own in business where,
1st-We cannot hire help that
suits us and that we like to have in
our employ.
l. 2d-We cannot conduct our own
business in our own way.
3d-Be the Judge as to which of
our employees develop care, cleanli
ness, thoughtfulness and business ca
pacity, and then raise their salaries
or dismiss, as in our own Judgment
would best serve and strengthen our
business.
4th-Refuse employment to all dir
ty, foul.mouthed, drunken, profane,
vulgar timeservers and wage grab
bers who are never interested in q
man or his business, without being
informed that these men belong to q
union, and must not be discharged.
5th Engage in work without fear
that our help will ali be called offand
lay off, not because of any acts of
ours. but simply because old man
Wiggons, at Podunk Falls, thous-
and miles away, has refused to ad-
vance the wages of the sausage case
makers in his employ, and Therefore
all our help join in a strike till Wig
gins gives up and becomes second
fiddle in his own establishment.
The only persons we desire in our
employ are clean, earnest, ambitious
men or women, who are willing to
trust to our knowledge OF business
and sense of justice, and who in turn
will strive to become so useful to our
business, that we cannot get along
without their kindness, their friend
ship, their ability to assist in our
business, and their ability to carry it
on during our absence.
This is the business mans feeling
generally; without this feeling as
foundation no business can succeed.
We do not care to employ help that
runs to the window to see every pro-
cess;on go by when the streets are
full of professions, nor will we ever
employ person whose heart and fu-
ture are not more with us than in an
effort to accomplish our ruin, mere
ly to exalt temple above its found
atoms.
AS workingman and an honest
friend of all who live by labor, we in
vite the attention of all who live by
labor to this subject, and will be glad
to receive and reply to letters from
any person who believe our opinions
to be wrong.
We believe in unions that make
dirty men clean that war against
filth, vice, drunkenness and disregard
for mans upward chances. That ed
ucate and up-build into better con
ditions. That create demands tor
labor, and that protect labor in all
than it can earn. In unions that ed
ucate men to spend their earnings
for educational books and papers. In
marriage certificates rather than pri-
vate doctors prescriptions. In
wives, children, homes instead of
tenement-house novels, and comforts
instead of rum and tobacco, that go
out in stink and erd in smoke. In